priest and ball spells

[rami]

So, these are supposed to be super-rare for priests right? My GE priest is level 42, cleaned everything up to mana temple (including BDC and the library) and haven't got a single ball spellbook, except 1 improved fireball spellbook which was in the library.

Do druids have the same problem?

[littlebrather]

ball spells are arcane, as IGB stead. So I myself decided that arcane spells are for arcane casters and vice versa =)
Had lost a very nice gnomish priest because of Acid Ball castings lacking - remembering to have found one in Casino Shop =) but no other balls at all.

[Molach]

They don't get any ball spells at all, no. None. Zilch. Zero.

I also suggest you did not find 'improved fireball' book, but mabye you did find one called 'invoked devastation'?

[rami]

I also suggest you did not find 'improved fireball' book, but mabye you did find one called 'invoked devastation'?

You're right, I'm just used to calling things their wizardy names...

They don't get any ball spells at all, no. None. Zilch. Zero.

So do you refer to the fact that none of their ball spells actually has "ball" in their names or that the priests don't get any ball spellbooks randomly generated at all?

[Grey]

The generation is much lower I find. My last priest to face Andy found only 1 the whole game. "Spellbooks of rain of sorrow" are an especially worthy wish for priests.

[JellySlayer]

So, these are supposed to be super-rare for priests right? My GE priest is level 42, cleaned everything up to mana temple (including BDC and the library) and haven't got a single ball spellbook, except 1 improved fireball spellbook which was in the library.

Do druids have the same problem?

Druids, and, I think paladins have the same problem (don't remember if there are any other divine casters). Ball spells are the most obvious, but the effect is a large number of spells. A priest can reliably expect to find several books of every healing spell in the game, and more know alignment books than they'd ever want; wizards will rarely see either of these spells, and tend to get more bolt or tactical spells.

It looks like, assuming the manual is correct, wizards should see more books of:
Magic missile, knock, all ball spells, slow monster, invis, teleport, SoA, magic lock, web

And priests should see more of:
All cure wounds spells, including heal, disarm trap, bless, cure disease, neutralize poison, destroy undead, slow poison, earthquake, relevation, know alignment, petrify

All other spells should be seen about equally.

I think it goes without saying that one of those lists is clearly better than the other. Needless to say, this is probably the biggest reason why wizards are preferred over priests--priests are arguably better in every other respect.

[Toan]

Except that y'now, Priests have better class powers for reducing casting costs than Wizards, if they have reasonable piety. Though, they get their massive discount a few levels later than a wizard does.

Besides, Khelevaster usually has a book of Teleport for you. From there, just bookcast it so you don't have to waste castings.

[Silfir]

Priests don't usually start with a damage spell though (relatively huge early game factor), and have a harder time finding them. The discounts are slightly higher, but also dependant on piety - if you don't have the piety for whatever reason (recently switched alignments, for instance) you don't get any discount. Wizards get a bit more Learning and Mana too, don't they? Not sure. On the other hand, there's Detect Item Status and starting armor.

(Khelavaster's guaranteed book is way too far into the game and the AoLS way too much of a crapshoot to enter into it.)

Priests and wizards are both extremely powerful, but different. Arcane spells are about tricks and raw power; clerical spells are mostly about not dying. Wizards start with more spells, priests start with armor and can fight better in melee, which does the job of killing okay, but is slower. Tricks and raw power are more fun and the quicker path to success compared to having lots of survival abilities, which is why wizards are preferred (note Jelly's usage of the term). Not necessarily better - just more popular. If you judge by early game survivability and overall survivability, you might have to give the priest preference. Or, for that matter, druids.

[Grey]

Am I the only that finds priests get much more baptism of fire/burning hands than wizards?

[Silfir]

Isn't that clerical?